DW News published this video item, entitled “What’s the toll of India’s coronavirus crisis on mental health? | DW News” – below is their description.
India has now reported more than 20 million cases of COVID-19 - although the actual figure may be much higher. Aside from the immense physical toll of the pandemic, it’s also putting enormous strain on the mental health of Indians.
Lockdowns, death, illness and job insecurity all have an impact on how people feel.Indian film star Deepika Padukone is taking a stand for mental health. As the pandemic rages, she’s raising awareness of psychiatric problems - and the ways people can get help.Thousands are dying every day in India, as it experiences the biggest wave of coronavirus infections the world has seen.
The healthcare system is in danger of collapse. And millions are suffering from anxiety and depression. Deepika Padukone is urging people to get help. She set up the Live Love Laugh Foundation. It helps connect people with mental health assistance, like telephone hotlines and suicide prevention centers.She says no life should be lost to mental illness.
Breakdowns, fear, anxiety. These are the words 29 year old Kanika uses when asked about how she is coping with the second wave Covid-19.Kanika Agarwal runs an online mental health platform, Mindpeers, which connects people to therapists. And the statistics are enough to tell her that she is not alone. Apart from anxiety, depression and grief that many are already experiencing, she says a lot of young people may end up suffering with PTSD or post-traumatic stress disorder.
The second wave of Covid-19 has been catastrophic- images of people gasping for breath and collapsing in front of hospitals where no beds or oxygen are available – have impacted the mental wellbeing of many.
Some experts are convinced this wave has triggered a mental health epidemic of its own. As she struggles to maintain a positive mindset, she is doing everything she can to bring her father back home soon.
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